CCSO's Det. Barry recognized by Florida's Attorney General for her contributions to a crime victim
Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO), Brittney Carman, Community Relations Specialist
On April 21, CCSO Detective Tiffany Barry with the agency's the Special Victims Unit was presented with the 2020 Distinguished Victim Services Award by Florida's Attorney General, Ashley Moody. Det. Barry was recognized for her outstanding contributions in serving a crime victim, and was one of only seven law enforcement officers in the State of Florida to receive this award for 2020.
"Detective Barry exemplifies the vision, mission, and values of the Citrus County Sheriff's Office, and we are proud to have her represent this agency," said Sheriff Mike Prendergast. "She showed great tenacity and perseverance in this case, refusing to give up on seeking justice for this juvenile victim. Detective Barry truly went above and beyond, utilizing every available resource, and her efforts deserve to be recognized. Her inspirational actions reflect not only on the CCSO, but upon the profession of law enforcement, as a whole."
On September 23, 2020, it was reported to CCSO that an unknown man had entered a residence and exposed his genitalia to a 10 year-old child who was home alone. The unknown male fled the area before deputies arrived on scene. Det. Barry worked closely with the young victim of this case to complete a composite sketch of the male suspect. Det. Barry then went door to door canvassing the neighborhood until she was able to obtain the name of a resident whose description matched the sketch.
Det. Barry interviewed the suspect, who initially denied entering the victim's residence and exposing himself to the juvenile. However, the juvenile viewed a photo array (photos of numerous people) and positively identified the male who had entered the residence and exposed himself. The victim's mother also identified the suspect as a male she had observed near her residence, immediately following the incident when she rushed home. After conducting a second interview with the suspect, Det. Barry established probable cause for his arrest and immediately placed him under arrest.
Throughout this case, Det. Barry worked aggressively to identify, then arrest, this suspect. She made sure the victim and victim's mother stayed at a safe location until the suspect was identified and taken into custody, then assisted the family with arrangements to attend appointments at a local child advocacy center. During this process, she was able to observe the family's financial situation and took the initiative to arrange for the victim and a sibling to attend the Citrus County Sheriff's Office annual Shop with a Cop event, where Christmas gifts and meals are provided to families in need. Knowig that the family did not have transportation to this event, Det. Barry transported the family there and arranged for their gifts to be delivered to their residence.